Attempted Fouls
by Warlordess
Summary: Kagome, tired of InuYasha'a less-than-friendly behavior towards her, decides to fake a marriage to get him to admit how he actually feels. [Will be InuKag and MirSan]... R and R!
1. Prologue

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Attempted Fouls

By: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: This is a different InuYasha/Kagome romance, but it will still be an InuYasha/Kagome romance. Period. 

Disclaimer: No, sorry to admit it... But it's true.

Summary: Kagome loves InuYasha and she has one heck of a plan to see if he likes her as well. She fakes a marriage with a friend to see what his reaction will be. At first, he doesn't seem that fazed but how long will it take for his facade to crumble?

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Ages are as follows:

Kagome: 19

InuYasha: 23 (In human years, he looks that old... **Sweatdrop**)

Miroku: 24

Sango: 21

Shippou: 09 (Again, in human years...)

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Chapter 1: Mysteries

The sleet was falling from the sky, flowing down the roofs of the local market. Fierce winds blew this way and that while the thunderous clouds above showed no sign of moving onward. The ground was iced over, making the few who were crazy enough to be out in this weather slip and slide on the concrete turf of the main street.

A brown cloak was floating heavily, obscuring the figure that lay beneath it. Though the material was not waterproof, meaning you could see that it was a womanly figure. She stepped into an alleyway and roved around the many trashcans and other boxes of garbage, following into a small, narrow side road. Peeled lettering leading into a more suitable indoor grounding was to her left, though, the girl continued moving ahead.

She placed her body against the ruins of a former work of great architecture, which was now burnt into almost nothing and leaned her head next to a broken-paned window. She sighed deeply, pulling a small watch from under her coat hand.

" Shit. Five more minutes", she murmured, " I can take five more minutes of this... It'll be worth it, later on..."

She stayed pressed against the cement until she couldn't stand to keep her feet holding the rest of her up. She was just dropping to the ground when more footsteps made her jump back up again. She turned her head to the right and saw another figure running her way.

" Where the Hell were you?!" She tried yelling, but her voice had become hoarse from the weather, " You're late!"

The other stopped next to her and began to catch her breath before replying, " Sorry, but the weather was horrible...", She picked her head up and looked around, " And it still is... Tell me why I'm out here in the middle of a spring storm when I could be inside playing video games?"

The other female put her arms around her and stated in a pleadingly guilty voice, 

" Because you're the best friend in the whole world..! And you know that your help will make this idea all the more interesting."

You could hear the ones laughter before she led the first into a drier place under the rafters of the small pub on the corner of the street.

" You've got that right. Without my help you would never pull this kick ass plan off. So, how do we start? Should we just jump into it and say what we have to? Or should we pull it slowly and see what his reaction is?"

The first put her hand under her chin, showing that she was considering these two questions. She smirked a little before turning back to her friend.

" I think we should let him wallow in the misery a bit... After all, holding back the way he is, he's the one who caused this... That reminds me, did you bring it?" She held out her hand, which had become pink because of how cold it was.

Her accomplice dug into a pocket in her coat top and pulled from beneath it a small, navy velvet box. She opened it to show a dainty diamond ring, glistening as the rain and streetlights fell onto it. She placed it in the others hands and-before they departed-said in a strained and would-be-pissed voice, " I mean this, don't lose the jewel. It cost more than you could ever earn, it's priceless. If you misplace it, give it away, or anything, you can be sure that I'll hunt you down. No lie-- By the way, you never did tell me whom this was for... Is it Hojo?"

The girl shook her head fiercely. The one she was doing this for was much more important and close to her heart than that jerk. The man she loved... Actually understood her and didn't mistake her actions as pleas of pain. The man she loved... Well, he was worth the most complex plans. She only hoped that she wouldn't mess this one up.

" This is not for him. This is for someone that I find special. This is for... For the one that I _love_." She turned away and began back down the sidewalk, a small smile of happiness appearing on her face. She couldn't afford to mess this one up; everything had to run smooth. She was going to find out exactly where she stood when in his heart.

Her friend stood behind her for a moment, she knew that their short but discrete conversation was over. The girl would have to keep everything going on her own now. She put her hand to her heart and sighed blissfully. This was just like a romance novel! Oh, how she loved those things! It was almost like her friend lived in a fairy tale. But that couldn't be the case.

__

' Please, Kami-sama, let the one she loves learn to accept her. No simpleton could deserve one such as her. He must be something special... I just want to pray-to pray that everything works out. She needs to be loved, as does anyone...' **She turned the other way and ducked under the lightning, towards her house. Everything had to be all right_._**

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The first girl was dodging the winds, holding her cloak around her. She was huffing by now. The storm was strong, making it hard to continue forward. She pushed onward. She had to finish the plans in her scheme to find out if _He _had any sentiment in his heart for her, any what so ever. 

A strong gust of hurricane weather blew by her, making her head shawl fall behind her. She tried to grab it but stopped after a few minutes. She had no time for this. She was to be on her way back home. Nothing was going to stop her. She breathed deep and ran the rest of her 1/2-mile home.

Her brown-hazel eyes were glowing, grief, happiness, and hope mingling ever so slightly in them, her long black hair was flowing, the rain holding it together in one clump of raven beauty. He face itself was hidden in mystery, though, by a close up, you could see who it was: Kagome Higirashi.

She rushed into her house/shrine and ran up the steps, into her room. She sat at her desk and placed the box in front of her. She couldn't hold back the excitement. She pulled out the small ring, placing it delicately around her third finger. It glistened spontaniously, the sapphire jewel holding the look of the dark sky. How she loved this ring. She almost didn't want to return it.

She put it back and thought for a while. She had to. She had to give the ring back, she had to go through with this plan, she had to find out every little secret held in his heart, and she had to succeed.

She pieced together the rest of her idea and decided that it was time for bed. She put the delicate piece of jewelry back in the box, dried her hair in the slightest, pulled her pajama's on, and lay in her bed.

She had to go through with this. Nothing was going to stop her...

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A/N: That's it. This is the prologue so if you want it continued, please e-mail me! I'll probably type the next chapter anyway but please, I'd like to know if I have some fans! Also, tell me if my plot as in any way original!


	2. Dropping The Bomb

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Attempted Fouls

By: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: This will be the second part to my snail-pacing InuYasha/Kagome romance _'Attempted Fouls'_. I don't know much about this, that's why it's so slow... Stick with me though because even though it will be a while I'm working on getting this thing finished and if you all truly love me then you'll live with the suspense, kick back, and wait like the loyal Inu-Chan romance fans that you are! Oh, and for those of you who had questions for the title, it was last minute so I understand if you _don't _understand. Period.

Disclaimer: Sorry to say this but I only watch the show. Please join in my sorrow.

Summary: Kagome loves InuYasha and she has one heck of a plan to see if he likes her as well. She fakes a marriage with a friend to see what his reaction will be. At first, he doesn't seem that fazed but how long will it take for his facade to crumble?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ages are as follows:

Kagome: 19

InuYasha: 23 (By sight, he looks that old... **Sweatdrop**)

Miroku: 24

Sango: 21

Shippou: 09 (Again, by sight...)

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She'd been acting very strange ever since she'd returned from that damned time of hers. She seemed so dainty and jittery and just kind of drunk in happiness. Of course, for her, that was normal... But she _smelt _different too. It wasn't like that one time a month where she always seemed so crabby in front of everyone (He'd never understand women in that sense) but she certainly had a feverishly dreamy air about her. And he hated it. The happiness he was smelling was not of his taste. He wanted it gone but he knew that he couldn't make her get rid of such an aroma. That didn't seem like an easily attainable goal for them (Or for her, anyway).

He didn't know how but he'd decided to confront her about it. That was the only way that he'd even know what was making her so wistful, vague to the happenings around her. He couldn't have her acting like that on a mission, it wasn't possible. She'd put the whole group into jeopardy.

" Keh, never worth the trouble, the Wench that she is..." He growled but walked toward her just the same. She was lulling about in a quiet field of flowers, humming and creating a small crown out of the nature around her. She turned when she heard him approaching her, shoving past all of the beauty in his wake but rather than reprimand him for destroying such things, she merely turned back with a growing smile.

He blew his stress through his mouth to get her attention, "You and me. Talk. Now." He knew where that would get him, in a crater towards the center of the planet, as she 'sat' him dozens upon dozens of times, but her grin only widened as though she'd been waiting for him to say those words.

" Yes InuYasha, what is it?" She said and made proper by showing her diamond encrusted ring into the bright sunlight so that he'd catch the glimmer and take notice of its presence. She had to make everything look convincing enough for him to believe, or at least understand.

" What the Hell do you think you're doing, prancing around like you've got the time?! What's with the attitude and--What in the Seven Hells is that?!" And he nodded his head fiercely to the small dainty jewel on her finger.

" Well, I've got some big news and I suppose that you and the others should be the first ones to know about it--Besides my family, I mean." And she skipped back toward Keade's where the other members of their party were waiting for them.

He only scoffed again and followed her silently, too intent on thinking over her abrupt answer to argue with her leaving him behind.

***

" So, what's the big deal with this little gathering, do you have some news Kagome-Sama?" Miroku asked intriguingly and Sango eyed her female companion with a confused expression.

" As a matter of fact, I do..." Kagome replied, and her eyes traveled over InuYasha in all of his furious glory, "I'm getting married."

" Yeah! That's great Kagome!" Shippou shouted in glee.

" It really is wonderful." Sango said with a congratulating smile.

Miroku clapped his hands, "Let's celebrate. I'll get the Sake. Would you like to accompany me, Sango-San?"

She replied by smacking him as his hand moved in her direction.

" Wait." InuYasha said sternly, "What's 'married'?"

The others sat back down.

" Oh, that's right... What is this 'married' thing anyway, Kagome-San?" Sango implored.

" Uh... Well, let's see... I suppose it's more along the lines of--uh--'mating' in this Time." She immediately noticed InuYasha's ears perk up as though his interest on the topic had been magnified a hundred-fold.

" Oh, really?" Miroku grinned, also watching InuYasha, "And who just happens to be the lucky man?"

" You mean that you actually--" InuYasha began as though he was worried.

" No." Kagome corrected herself, "Maybe, it's more along the lines of a pre-taken step. You get married and then you have the right to--uh--"

"-- We understand." Sango nodded, "So, what do you do at this--?"

" Well, during marriage there's a ceremony, and guests will arrive to celebrate with you, there's gifts and cake, music and everyone just has a really good time." She ended simply enough for them to understand.

" It sounds really great Kagome, can we come?" Shippou pleaded with her.

" Of course, what kind of party would it be without my friends? We'll just have to dress you up nicely and try to hide the tail..." She wondered.

" Why?" He asked her.

" Many people from my time aren't used to that type of thing and won't react as kindly as my family did when they met InuYasha. They were only so fond because they'd lived around stories like that their entire lives. My Grandpa made sure of it."

" What about me?" Sango asked.

" We'll find you a nice dress and maybe do something with your hair... You'll have to look really nice because this is one of the higher-class festivities."

" And me?" Miroku grinned.

" We won't have to worry much about anything accept caging you away from the women that will be there."

" Oh, there are women, are there?"

" --I don't like it--" InuYasha scowled.

" Well, you don't have to go." Kagome sniffed, "But it would mean a lot if you did. And Souta has been asking about you often."

" That brother of yours?"

" Mmm hmm."

" I like him, he knows how to insult a girl who deserves it." But then InuYasha thought it over, "Though the gaki is rather annoying..."

" InuYasha, I'd sit--"

***Bang*** He was sent face first into the ground at her command. She laughed lightly and crawled over to him.

" --Gomen about that, InuYasha. I'm going to have to learn to be more careful. After this whole ordeal, I'm promising you now that your necklace will be removed."

" Why so sudden?" He grumbled as if she were breaking up with him.

" Well..." She grinned cautiously, "I can't very well wander off out here once I've gotten my new life set up. I don't plan on telling him about you guys. He might not understand."

" You mean..." InuYasha began, panicked, "That once you have this weddy-thing, you'll be too busy to come back anymore..?!"

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A/N: Short chapters are the greatest and easiest in the world. So simple, how you can type fifty lines, end it with a cliffy, and be done with it... Anyway, this chappie is over (Though I'm guessing that you all ready knew that). I've never done it before but I'm actually thinking of putting a lime/lemon in here later on, waaayyyyyyy later on. It'll at least be a lime scene. Nice and citrus-y for your enjoyment. Now I just have to think of a way to bring it around...


	3. Bits and Pieces

Attempted Fouls

By: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: The third installation to my marriage series, the finale still undetermined, is finally being posted. I've wanted to continue this fic for a loooooooooooong time but I haven't had the chance or the idea of how exactly I've really wanted to do it. But now I've just decided to wing it until I can think up something real good so work with me for now and let me do what we all love to do.

Disclaimer: Yeah, I gotta admit I do. Not.

Summary: Kagome loves InuYasha and she has one heck of a plan to see how he feels about her as well. She fakes a marriage with a friend to see what his reaction will be. At first, he doesn't seem that fazed but how long will it take for his facade to crumble?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ages are as follows:

Kagome: 19

InuYasha: 23

Miroku: 24

Sango: 21

Shippou: 09

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This whole thing was getting a little out of hand. That was Kagome's first thought as she watched Kouga duke it out with InuYasha, obviously thinking that he'd used some sophisticated futuristic courting ability just to dupe him and win her heart. This had completely set InuYasha off, who was still pulling a sort of 'You can leave but I know you'll return so I'm not gonna waste my time worrying' personality ever since their last and only conversation about what unexpected turns had been taken.

She couldn't help worrying now. Maybe he wasn't acting and he really didn't give a damn about how she lived her life. He certainly pulled it off well, though, now that she gave it some thought, he'd had to learn to perfect an 'I don't care about anyone' expression his entire life of how-ever-many years just to get by.

"Kagome, how could you support this mutt's desire for you?! He only wants to mate to ease his loneliness, it's not like he loves you--!"

"You don't have to tell me twice..." She muttered dejectedly to herself as InuYasha pulled Tetsusuiga (If someone could tell me the correct spelling for that, it'd _really _**help...) from its sheath and held it in front of him to start a real assault.**

"You Bastard--! To even think I'd wanna mate with a wench like her is enough to prove you have a few screws loose but to keep trying to fight me with only your own accusations as a grounds to tri me! I do have standards and this--Wench--definitely doesn't meet them--!" InuYasha shouted and ripped his sword through the air, "Kaze no Kiz--"

Now things had gotten personal. And Kagome wasn't just going to stand around and wait for him to cool down long enough to realize he'd upset her and come crawling with an apology, "InuYasha, uswari--!" And his frightening escapade was abruptly ended by his being shoved forcefully into the ground at the casting of the incantation.

"A dog who bows to a mortal master is nothing to be proud of, Mutt..." Kouga muttered with a hint of laughter but then he turned to bow to Kagome in a sense of respect, "Kagome-Sama, I regret any pain 'Mortality' may cause you and I hope that my insult may be disregarded... It was nothing personal rather than a youkai's pride was at stake. And Youkai don't let it go that easily." He stood up and began to walk away for the time being (Obviously, Kagome kicking InuYasha into the dirt was satisfying enough for him at the moment) but InuYasha called after him.

"Keh... Oi--! Kouga, aren't you even gonna try and kill me?!"

"It would be most unsportsman-like to hurt a weakling when he's all ready been beaten by a woman..." Kouga stiffed with a chuckle as InuYasha's self-esteem reached an all time low, "Be warned. I will kill you, once you've become an actual challenge for me." And he shook his legs out and swiftly dashed away, leaving the girl and the hanyou alone together to brew in their lack of pity and strength of resolve.

"Him... Thinking I'm not a challenge... Beginning to act just as self-reliant as Sesshomarou... Kami-Sama... Kuso..." InuYasha muttered as he finally got up and dusted himself off.

"Well, you can't blame him for thinking you're amateurish, InuYasha... The only trait you have is immoral anger and that won't get you through every fight. You need strategy. You need health. You need allies. You need trust and security in those around you, in case you've forgotten I'm one of those around you--"

"--I don't remember asking you, Wench. I don't need you to tell me what I need to be strong. No one is more powerful than I am when it comes to battle. Strategy is for pansies that can't bother themselves with a real fight. Health is something I've never had a problem with. And allies like yourself are what make the battles so excruciatingly long and dangerous in the first place. If you'd bothered to keep yourself outta trouble... In any case, you won't even be here for long so this discussion about trust in allies is closed." And, with that said, he began to walk away as Kagome stared at her hands, which were twisting the hem of her shirt in anxiety.

How come she seemed to just make things worse..?

***

"Sango-Chan, you are still awake..?" Miroku nodded from his restless nightmares obscured by visions of his Kazanna reducing himself and his surroundings to nothing.

"Yes, well, life is not without worry." She sighed and watched as he got up and moved towards her. She tensed, all ready feeling a slithering hand across her back but nothing happened.

"Ah... You are unsure what will come of Kagome-Sama's venture back into a regular life..?" He asked this as though it were a common and typical thought these days. All he got was a nod from his female companion so he continued, "You need not worry about that. Kagome-Sama is not one to forget life-altering visits to the year 500 Warring States Era so easily. Something tells me there is more to this than she is saying, in any case... Kagome-Sama is a vigil young girl. She would never do something unless she were absolutely sure. And that is why I find it impossible that she could truly leave us forever. You are not the only one of us who would miss her, Sango-Chan. I know two who will grieve for years, even if not aloud..." And he turned his gaze on a snoozing Shippou before letting it rest hesitantly on InuYasha who was, for once, getting some well-deserved sleep.

"Houshi-Sama is wise beyond his letchering years... But your hand rubbing against my thigh is highly..." She picked up his hand and began crushing it in her own, "...Unnecessary."

Miroku gave a slight sigh as she threw it down and slapped him like always before turning to huddle near her belongings. He went back towards InuYasha (The girls had done a *great* job with their Sex-Separation-for-Sleeping plan) and leaned forward, into the fire, to examine his Kazanna. How was he to prevent anything horrible happening to him before he had an heir? It was necessary at this stage to bed a woman for his continued search for Naraku. Especially now that Kagome-Sama, the only one of them eligible of Miko heritance, was to be leaving long before they'd finished their clean up of the jewel shard fiasco. And there was only one woman he seriously debated love with...

"Sango-Chan is far too exuberant for me... And she is more than capable of finding an eligible suitor for life... But that does not mean that I will not be there for her when she needs it. I am far too close to losing everything for that." He left his little self-related chat at that and settled himself down again for sleep. With everything that was going on, he definitely had a need for it. It was not without sacrifice that he'd given up on the finer things in life.

InuYasha watched them without their notice and almost laughed at Miroku's gibberish of a discussion with his incapacitated hand. Why should he waste his time on a woman..? He could become a powerful, young lord, if not a warrior for one. Of course not as powerful as himself but... All the same...

He snorted. It was far too simple to lose yourself in the heart of a woman. And he knew he was not worth that.

Not even if she were to walk out of his life forever...

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A/N: Well, the fourth installment will be coming shortly. I had to spend an hour or so just on this part but I'm hoping the next one will get a little more interesting. I thought that it'd be kawaii to add some Miroku/Sango fluff to the piece though I'm not sure whether or not they'll actually end up together. Never the less, it'll be a good story, I promise. I hope. I doubt. But I think you'll like it anyway... ^_^ ;;

Anyways, review if you wanna, and I bet you wanna; I'm gonna go and get some monkey bread and stuff it down my pet donkey's throat. Later days!

--Chibi


	4. Those Who Ponder

Attempted Fouls

by: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: The fourth installation is finally here! Wow, I haven't worked on this fic in awhile. I've thought about it, and told myself that I was going to but... Things happened. So I pushed it to the back of my mind... But now it's here so get those angry thoughts gone and then read and review! Chibi will be ever-grateful if you don't count the time-span between updates against me!

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Naraku, Kikyou, Kagura, Kouga... Yeah, you can finish their names. The point is, I don't own any of 'em.

Summary: Kagome, tired of InuYasha's less-than-friendly behavior towards her, has crafted a plan of deceitful marriage in order to get him to admit how he really feels. Will be Inu/Kag and possibly Mir/San.

~*~*~

Ages are as follows:

Kagome: 19

InuYasha: 23

Miroku 24

Sango: 21

Shippou: 09

(A/N: I know those aren't very accurate but I wanted to mess with them anyway so the plot would fit in better.)

~*~*~

About a month later and plans were being made all ready. She had told him that it wasn't going to happen for about a year so why was she posting small notes about it now?! She had plenty of time to get that whole thing under way! Right now their group needed her for the Shikon hunt and she was busy filling her little mind with simple day dreams about something called the 'honeymoon'.

Feh. He would never understand women.

InuYasha was currently closing in on a dimensional Youkai, which was using some distortional prowess to suck their group, not to mention the entire village, into different spaces. Kagome had gone back to her time and so InuYasha was forced to fend off the beast by himself after the kitsune, the tajiya, and the monk had all vanished from reality.

"Kuso... Shimatta!" He shouted angrily. Where the Hell was that girl when he needed her?! Well, it wasn't exactly a need... But this would just be a lot easier if he wasn't working alone! 

"InuYasha!" A voice rang out and he turned to see her flying freely on that 'bicycle' thing that she always muttered about, "What's going on?!" She shouted as he defended himself from the enemy with his Kaze no Kizu. He scoffed and slashed at the masses body, slitting an arm.

"So glad you could join us, WENCH! The beast just appeared and I have fair reason to believe that he has a jewel shard! He made the whole damned party disappear!" He ranted and they turned to see the youkai laughing with heightened charisma.

"FOOLS! Roujugai does not bow to any! You will soon be swept away with your little friends! There is no way, after all, to defeat a shard of the Shikon no Tama! Fight me if you dare!" And he opened his mouth and spewed a gaping darkness out. InuYasha jumped but Kagome couldn't move fast enough and was caught in the center.

"InuYa--" She was cut off as the dimensional tunnel swallowed her up. InuYasha turned and growled lowly. The bastard dared to eat _HIS _**woman?!**

"KUSO! NO ONE--" His eyes flared threateningly, "--AND I MEAN _NO ONE _**MESSES WITH **_MY _**KAGOME!" He soared into the air and swept the blade of the Tetsusaiga through the demons head, "KAZE NO KIZU!" Two seconds later, blackened crimson blood fell freely from the shattered skull and dampened the dry dirt ground. There was a stab of a sword and InuYasha's blade fell through the newly-muddy ground.**

Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, nor Shippou... None had been returned... At least, not yet. Two moments later and groans were heard from around him. He turned to see the entire group sitting up from under the bloody earth. All of them were looking dazed, maybe even a little... deathly.

Though shaken, there were no long-lasting wounds... Which made InuYasha feel more than a little ticked, "Are you telling me that you're all okay?" He shouted in anger.

Sango nodded and Kagome stared at his face, "Why InuYasha? Were you actually afraid for our safety?"

"Feh. Not at all. I'm just pissed off that I had to waste my time saving you humans when you were perfectly healthy. There was no need to worry over useless things." And he re-sheathed the Tetsusaiga and began to wander off, "At least... Not all of you." He muttered to himself.

He shouldn't be caring this much for the girl. It was a dramatic change from that time ago... But time was running out for their group. Kagome would be leaving them forever in under a year and he was just discovering that there might be something under his casual care for her... It was that something that he'd always tried to ignore.

He scoffed. Things definitely had changed. Since when did he let such ignorant, feminine thoughts get to him and take him over? He didn't know... All he knew was that the vast change in the packs' behavior was pulling him in and he had been acting differently, thinking differently... He had become a different hanyou all together. It was like all the past with Kikyou had really finally just become a memory.

But how could he let that happen? It was as if he'd lost a purpose to fight... Why did he always battle after Naraku, after all? To revenge Kikyou... But, if the fact of Kikyou's death and half-life had finally gotten to him, then what did he have left besides himself?

~*~*~

"Houshi-sama... Have you noticed a change in InuYasha's behavior?" Sango approached the monk from behind as he stared into the river, washing his hands from the blood that had started to dry on his ceremonial robes after their last battle, "It's almost as if, after hearing that Kagome will have no way of coming back, he's finally let it count that he loves her. And I'm slightly... confused at this sudden awareness."

Miroku turned to her with one of those 'charming' smiles of his, almost making her blush, but she shook those thoughts from her mind, "If Sango-san would join me, I'd gladly explain." She was hesitant but then sat beside him, slightly eager to hear more of his words of wisdom, "You see... InuYasha has lost one woman to the powers of time and unfairness. Kikyou vanished just as they were finally experiencing the peak of their love for each other. Kagome is now being stolen by the same thing. The fact that she is from the futuristic society of where we are unknown to many is what will keep her from coming back. InuYasha is being forced to realize that time in itself is truly of the essence. He always believed that Kagome would wait around with him forever and it's taken him this long to learn that that isn't the case." He broke off and let the tajiya digest this information.

"If that is true then... Is knowing that Kagome-san won't be there forever really admitting to himself that his feelings for her have changed? Possibly into love?" She questioned.

"It's more along the lines of our relationship. If you were to leave, I wouldn't know what to do. I'd be lost to everlasting grief. But that doesn't necessarily mean that I would love you. It just means that I care for you more than others." Miroku flashed another grin and made a move to sit closer to Sango, who was slightly distracted by his last words.

...However she was not distracted enough to ignore that creeping hand that was slipping over her backside.

The sound of a slap wrung out through the air as she flushed red and hit him over the head for his peeping hand. She got up and began to walk away, almost stomping in anger.

"Someone should really amputate that cursed hand of his..." She muttered to herself but found herself turning red in memory, "Why does Houshi-sama _always _**go for me..?!"**

~*~*~

A/N: All right, how was that? I know this is moving slow but at least I'm still working on it! Stay tuned for the next part which I'll hopefully be working on after I finish my other in-progress fic (which has about two chapters left). After I've finally finished that one, I'll be working on some of my older ones, including Attempted Fouls. Like I said, STAY TUNED!

And also, thankies to all those brave enough to R & R! You are all so very special to me! You have my gratitude!

--Chibi ending transmission.


	5. Short Yet Sweet

Attempted Fouls

By: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: Wow, first I'd like to say thanks to the few readers who've picked up on the plot and told me what you thought. My friends were kind enough to review on FanFiction.Net but I have to say that what surprised me the most was getting three reviews on MediaMiner.Org. You guys, I have so much to thank you for. I thought at first that getting one review per chapter was good but then I posted the last one and I got loaded with positive comments about my plot. This goes to all of you!

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I don't want anyone else to own them. I don't wanna be sued for stealing characters.

Summary: Kagome, tired of InuYasha's less-than-friendly behavior towards her, fakes a marriage in order to convince him of his love for her. Will be Inu/Kag later on with smidges of Mir/San.

~*~*~

Things had been quiet ever since the last youkai attack. Miroku had been busying himself peeping at Sango and Shippou was helping Kagome arrange flowers for the up-and-coming celebration.

"You know, InuYasha, it's kinda fun. Maybe you should give it a try." Kagome attempted to coax him from the branch he was laying in, but she sighed, all ready knowing full well what his reply would be for looking into such a womanly task.

"Feh. You have got to be kidding me, Wench! You two baka's can play with your little rosemary all you want. I, however, have better things to be getting along with." And he turned his head with a snort.

"... Eh..? InuYasha... Listen to me for once. I'm leaving for home _permanently _**in under a year... Do you get it yet? I'm not coming back! I may mean hardly a thing to you but can't you handle a few more months with me? Then I'll be out of your life forever and you can get back to your pleasant little days without me here to care!" Kagome yelled heatedly, "Until then, stay civil with me at the very least; after all, I'm sure that after I'm gone, Kikyou will take great care of you!" From then on, she tried to ignore his stare that fell on the top of her head, "... Baka..!" She muttered frustratedly.**

"Hanyou ears come in handy, Wench! I can hear everything you say, especially from a fifteen foot distance!" He jumped down from his arch with a blunder, trying to ignore the fact that the girls' final traveling back to 'where and when she rightfully belonged' didn't seem as wonderful as it was made out to be, "You expect so much just because we won't be seeing you anymore! Well, guess what?! I don't happen to be that _torn _**up about it!" He was ready to stalk off when he saw her flower arrangement, "You need more center... Use something filling, like blossoms..." He said with a soft flush on his cheeks, almost like he was just realizing that he'd made that comment out loud.**

"Um... Arigatou..?" Kagome muttered again, her own blushing proving its inevitability. She supposed that she should have been angry, or at least upset at his comment but it was rather weird. It was like she all ready knew that he was lying, at least somewhat. At the moment, he was trying not to catch her eye, though suffice to say that he was failing miserably.

"It's nothing, really... My mother, though; she was trained in the art of flower arrangement. It's how she lived; how we lived. I just happened to learn a bit from her." And then InuYasha was gone, using his reflexes to bound from branch to branch.

Kagome sat by the ground entrance to Keade-bachan's village with Shippou, trying to come to terms with what had happened just a moment before, "Well... That was strange; and maybe a little more than..."

***

InuYasha was sitting calmly, now, by the edge of a river. It was actually the exact one that he'd first seen Kagome's entire body (reference to episode three... I think) for the first time. He blushed, as great as that vision had been to his eyes, it was beside the point. Permeating inside of his head were the still troubling muddled thoughts of... Well... Everything he'd always known.

And what he'd always been able to grasp, per say, just happened to be Kikyou and Kagome.

Kikyou had been a soul who'd needed him, a soul he'd grown to need.

Kikyou had been alone; possibly admired but not understood. He had immediately recognized that feeling and taken incentive to acknowledge their likeness. And it was from that likeness that formed a great love.

But that love had been destroyed by Naraku. Possibly permanently, but at that time he hadn't been sure.

He had awoken fifty years later, after being pinned to the God tree to protect the Shikon jewel, which had all ready been in his grasp at the moment of his 'dying', to see 'Kikyou' standing before him, sniffling like a human girl; like the human girl that she had never been able to be. Some time after that, he had come to recognize that girl as 'Kagome'.

Kagome wasn't a mortally wounded soul. If anything, she was the warmth of the sun in physical form. She brought to life the prospect of human differences and nature and evolution to his numbed eyes. She offered things such as 'friendship' and 'light' and 'happiness'... All of which had been in great need to his world and time.

And now... He'd come to terms with everything about Kikyou. And Kagome had tried to convince him of that, this whole time. But did she have a reason..?

Did she want thanks?

He sighed; ever since his finding out about Kagome going back to her real home (let alone her becoming bonded for life with some anonymous man), new thoughts had emerged from the deepest places of his mind. Questions he'd never really thought about, even when in his relationship with Kikyou.

__

Will I forget her? Can we finish the Shard hunt without her? Is she really that important to me? Is she so blind not to see that I care?

****

He supposed those questions weren't so foreign to him, or hard for him to think about, since he did have the answers. He supposed that the real question that he ought to fear the answer to would be, _Eventually... Will she learn to forget me?_

****

***

Miroku sighed.

Sango sighed.

Miroku's hand moved to caress the tajiya girl's bottom.

Sango blushed in mutilation and slapped him away.

"One of these days Houshi-sama, that cursed hand of yours is going to cause every female on the planet to commit suicide... Now what do you plan to do after those events?" She admonished, her face still slightly red.

Miroku just looked away, unable to explain.

~*~*~

A/N: There ya go... I spent a while thinking up tidbits to add to this chapter while on a Christian youth group trip this weekend. I had a total of four hours sleep last night. I'm ready to collapse so... Over-all, there's nothing, really, to say. I guess all there is to get across is that...

--Chibi is now signing off. (.^_^.)

PS (_PLEASE READ!)_: Oh, yeah... Also, for those of you who 'like' this fic, please don't hesitate to check out my bio page for a nice set of Inu/Kag one-shots! (I think I've made seven so far, and there's more to come if this Inu-infatuation keeps burning)!

--Okay, _NOW _**Chibi is choosing to end transmission. (.^_^.) ;;**


	6. Months Passed

Attempted Fouls 

By: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: People love me, they really love me! Or, they do on [MediaMiner.Org] at least. . . You Inu/Kag readers on FFN need to re-avenge yourselves. So don't let me down! Continue reading and reviewing so that I'm more inclined to continue.

Disclaimer: Ages stolen; plot not. You know the drill. All characters, settings, and situations belong to Rumiko Takahashi. . . I'm just adding a little romantic zest.

~*~*~

Chapter Five: Months Passed. . .

~*~*~

"Mama, I'm home!" Kagome called gleefully as she slid open the shrine home door. The pitter-patter of her socked feet treading across the glossy wooden platform met the Higirashi family's ears as they ran joyously onto the foyer to meet the young woman.

"Kagome-neesan! Koonichiwa!" Her brother Souta called enthusiastically as he came through the living room door. Kagome smiled happily as her brother took her bag and began to root through it in search of Feudal Era knick-knacks/artifacts to show to their Jii-chan.

She sighed. This was home. . . Where she had shampoo, baths, computers, and other modern conveniences. Then her smile turned into a frown. It was true that this was one home but. . . Life with InuYasha and the others had become part of her life and family as well. Which meant that the Warring States Era was a part of her home. And soon she hoped that part of her time consumption would be getting an enormous upgrade.

***

He had gone soft.

No, he had lost his vigor upstanding, given in, conceded. . . To the human girl that was Kagome. Now, it was relatively normal for her to go back home at certain times. It was even normal for him to let her go. . . That was, after they'd argued for hours and she'd sat him six feet under. But this time around, there had been no endless shouts, no cursing, and no pits to be seen. There hadn't even been a discussion.

All there had been was a hanyou sitting calmly in a tree and a young girl who'd appeared at the base to request a visit home.

And he had told her 'yes'.

So now she was gone and he was having to come to terms with his changing around her. It hadn't been much of a change, yet, at the same time, it had been so drastically far from who he was that the words he spoke seemed to have come from a foreign, or possibly defiled mouth.

"InuYasha?" A male voice called from behind him and he turned to see Miroku standing there, a new handprint evident upon his cheek, "You are here alone? Where is Kagome-sama? With Kouga-kun, perhaps?" His manipulative and catty grin was able to be determined behind his tone.

"Keh. Like she would give him the time of day!" InuYasha muttered in his usual rave, his face flushing slightly, "She went home Monk! She's getting more prepared for that wed-a-thing."

"Oh? Then InuYasha, you are distressed that she is gone after your common argument?" Miroku asked, his face betraying his tones' innocence.

"What are you talking about Miroku-baka?! I _let _**her go this time. She obviously felt that she deserved to go home whenever she wanted, and it won't be long before she's gone for good anyway. So why bother keeping her here, right?" He snorted, attempting to sound nonchalant and careless.**

"Perhaps. But is there a chance that you are feeling just a bit hopeless in the situation you're in? For InuYasha lost one woman to death and now you're losing another to the strings of age. You know that Kagome couldn't stay with you here forever as this wasn't her home. Yet you still took advantage of her time her. But now you have to lose her. . . Is it possible that you aren't ready to let her go? That you've, maybe, become attached to her?" Miroku asked and InuYasha growled in reply.

"Monk. . . You're really pissing me off. . ."

"I'm only able to do so because you know that I'm right. That's the only way that my words could have penetrated you. Admit it, InuYasha, you DO care about Kagome. Almost. . . Almost as much so as I care for Sango." Miroku looked away with a pained grin and a blush, glancing back in the direction of the village where Sango and Shippou were busy helping the townspeople attend the fields.

"Miroku. . . KUSO! I don't care for that girl! I could never care for someone who resembles the woman I love, mocking her being! I fell in love with Kikyou over fifty years ago, and I could, nor will I ever, turn my back on her. I cannot just fall in love with another! You, Kagome, and the others don't seem to understand that! It's not that easy for me!"

Miroku sighed. He didn't understand; Kikyou was a dead pile of bones enriched by a witches curse. Kagome was alive, well, and obviously in love with InuYasha, who still couldn't forget his 'past life'.

"I agree InuYasha, that you are not an easy person (or in this case, hanyou) to understand. I do not think, however, that you can continue to chase a half-soul forever. And I don't believe that you will jump into Hell with her whenever she finally demands you to do so." Miroku replied calmly.

"You know nothing. I will not let her die alone again. Of course I'll. . . I'll go with her to Hell. I promise you that." InuYasha hoped that Miroku hadn't noticed his stutter.

"Your promise to me is of no question. The question you should be thinking of, can you promise the same thing to Kagome?"

***

"Kouga-sama, you're back? Where is Kagome-neesan, your mate?" Asked his followers.

"She has chosen yet again to stay with that Inu Turd. But I do suppose that priority should come before love when it pertains to such things as the Shikon no Tama." He goaded, sitting down and picking up a boar leg to snack on, "Soon, though, she will realize that I am the one who truly loves her. She will call for me then."

"Kouga-sama! You have a visitor!"

"Oi! Who is it?!" He called as he stood up to search for an unfamiliar scent.

"It's Ayame-san!" His men yelled, making him intake a deep breath at the name. Judging by the fact that he could barely trace her smell, she must have been waiting awhile.

"Kouga-kun!" A shout rung out as the jade-eyes wolf youkai jumped forward, "I have heard of Kagome-sama's 'mating announcement'! You must feel so heartbroken, losing someone so close to you!" She sounded sympathetic. . . _REALLY _**sympathetic.**

"Eh. . ? Um, perhaps you are mistaken. The rumors that Inu Turd and my Kagome-sama are to be mated have been cleared. I was told personally by them that it wasn't true." Kouga stated with the earnest assurance in his voice. Ayame eyed him before choosing to speak.

"But. . . I was told that Kagome-sama was to be with. . . Someone from her own future so she and the Inu aren't to be. She's leaving for home in a few month's time to start a new life. . . And she can't be bothered with returning." Ayame bit her fang into her upper lip, trying to gather her strength for when Kouga would undoubtedly explode.

"Demo. . . Inu Turd told me. . . He said that. . . He and My Kagome. . . Demo. . ." His face was becoming red from all of his spluttering, ". . . MUTT--!" He shouted, throwing his clans' prey down. He shook his feet out again as he readied himself to take off for the main village where he'd seen them last.

"Kouga-kun! He didn't lie to you! He just didn't explain the whole truth!" Ayame spoke bracingly.

"Don't you dare defend that mutt! He's conspired against me for far too long! I'm positive that this is just another scheme to belittle my abilities! He's just aching for me to come after him. Well, the Turd is about to get his wish! I'm no longer going to stand by and watch him play around with my mate or I for any longer!" And, with that, he sped off to find InuYasha, following the obvious stench in the air.

Ayame stood back in the clans cavern, Kouga's then looking her over before she sighed, muttered something along the lines of, "All of those who impose will regret." And then dashed off after him as fast as she could.

***

A/N: Whew. . . Sorry about that. I was going slightly brain dead. . . Er. . . Plot dead. This just came together on a whim, between certain classes in school. But I think it came together well in the end. What do you think?

So. . . All this is happening while Kagome is back home. What will she return to find? A dead InuYasha/Kouga? And will InuYasha ever admit to her that he cares - if not loves - her, before it's too late?

Hell, Chibi's just as clueless as you are! I guess you'll just have to find out yourself!

- - This is Chibi signing off!


End file.
